Cancellation of the collisional frequency shift in caesium fountain clocks

We have observed that the collisional frequency shift in primary caesium fountain clocks varies with the clock state population composition and, in particular, is zero for a given fraction of the |F=4,mF=0) atoms, depending on the initial cloud parameters. We present a theoretical model explaining our observations. The possibility of the collisional shift cancellation implies an improvement in the performance of caesium fountain standards and a simplification in their operation.     

Collisionally induced transport in periodic potentials

We study the transport of ultracold atoms in a tight optical lattice. For identical fermions the system is insulating under an external force while for bosonic atoms it is conducting. This reflects the different collisional properties of the particles and reveals the role of interparticle collisions in establishing a macroscopic transport in a perfectly periodic potential. Also in the case of fermions we can induce a transport by creating a collisional regime through the addition of bosons. We investigate the transport as a function of the collisional rate and observe a transition from a regime in which the mobility increases with increasing collisional rate to one in which it decreases. We compare our data with a theoretical model for electron transport in solids introduced by Esaki and Tsu.     

Hybrid Two-Dimensional Electron Transport in Self-Consistent Electromagnetic Fields

The paper outlines features of the implicit hybrid simulation code ANTHEM, which uniquely provides histories for the transport and deposition of suprathermal and thermal electrons in laserproduced plasmas. The code models two-dimensional electron transport through steep density gradients and across contiguous collisional and collisionless target regions with the plasma dynamics dominated by self-consistent E and B fields. ANTHEM employs separate Eulerian fluid ion and thermal electron treatments and models suprathermal electrons as either a third fluid or as a set of collisional particle-in-cell (PIC) particles. We outline new techniques required to obtain implicit electromagnetic fields in two spatial dimensions permitting time steps well in excess of the local plasma period. A new implicit scattering model is discussed. The utility of our approach is demonstrated with sample applications to collisional surface transport on foil targets.     

Total cross section prediction of the collisions of positrons and electrons with alkali atoms using Gradient Tree Boosting

A relatively new computational technique, namely gradient tree boosting (GTB), is presented for modeling the total cross sections of the scattering of positrons and electrons by alkali atoms in the low and intermediate energy regions. The calculations have been performed in the framework of gradient tree boosting (GTB). The GTB has been running based on the experimental data of the total collisional cross sections to produce the total cross sections for each alkali atom as a function of the incident energy of the projectile as well as the atomic number and the static dipole polarizability of the atom. Moreover our GTB model is used to predict the experimental data for total collisional cross sections that are not used in the training session. The calculated and predicted total collisional cross sections are compared with the experimental data. We find that the GTB technique shows a good match to the experimental data. To our knowledge, this is the first application of the GTB technique to the data of positron and electron collisions with alkali atoms at low and intermediate energies.     

Dynamical study of the Cs<Superscript>+</Superscript>(<Superscript>1</Superscript>S<Subscript>0</Subscript>)+Mg(3 <Superscript>1</Superscript>S<Subscript>0</Subscript>) non adiabatic collision system in the few keV energy range

The dynamics of collisional processes between Mg atoms and caesium ions is studied using the hemiquantal (HQ) approach with special attention to the collisional channels leading to Mg(3 ¹P) and Cs(6 ²P) states, for which the corresponding emission excitation functions have been previously measured in our laboratory. The radial and angular non-adiabatic couplings between the manifold of quasimolecular states have been determined using an ab initio configuration interaction calculation. The cross-sections for the different channels, as a function of the laboratory collisional energy, are compared with experimental values. The dynamical calculations indicate that, for the inelastic processes considered, the range of relevant impact parameters is small, active collisions being of the head-on type. .     

Demonstration of transient gain x-ray lasers near 20nm for nickellike yttrium, zirconium, niobium, and molybdenum

We demonstrate strong lasing on the Ni-like 4d(1)S(0)?4p(1)P(1) transition at 18.9, 20.3, 22.0, and 24.0 nm for Mo, Nb, Zr, and Y ions, respectively, using the transient collisional excitation scheme. Approximately 5 J of laser energy in a combination of a 600-ps pulse and a 1-ps pulse from the Compact Multipulse Terawatt (COMET) tabletop laser system is used to irradiate slab targets of these materials. Small-signal gains of 17-26cm (-1) are determined on the 4d?4p transition, with overall gain-length products gL of 11-12. Lasing is observed and gain is measured on the 4f(1)P(1)?4d(1)P(1) transition, which is pumped by collisional excitation combined with self-photopumping, for what is to our knowledge the first time.     

Radiation trapping in a cold atomic gas

We experimentally study radiation trapping of near-resonant light in a cloud of laser-cooled rubidium atoms. Unlike in most previous studies, dealing with hot vapors, collisional broadening is here negligible and Doppler broadening due to the residual atomic velocity is narrower than the homogeneous broadening. This is an interesting new regime, at the boundary between coherent and incoherent radiation transport. We analyze in detail our low-temperature data (quasi-elastic regime) and then provide some experimental evidence for Doppler-based frequency redistribution. The data are compared with an analytical model valid for coherent transport and a Monte Carlo simulation including the Doppler effect. PACS 42.25.Dd; 32.80.Pj     

Collisional damping of ETG-mode-driven zonal flows

We study collisional damping of electron zonal flows in toroidal electron temperature gradient (ETG) turbulence due to the friction between trapped and untrapped electrons. With the assumption of adiabatic ions, the collisional damping is shown to occur on fast time scales approximately 0.24epsilon(1/2)tau(e). The comparison with the growth rate of electron zonal flows indicates that the shearing by electron zonal flows is unlikely to be a robust mechanism for regulating ETG turbulence. This finding vitiates the claims of several simulation studies that have ignored the effects of collisional damping of electron zonal flows and offers a possible partial explanation of the high levels of electron thermal transport observed in the National Spherical Torus Experiment.     

Cold collision frequency shifts in a 87Rb atomic fountain

We present measurements of cavity frequency pulling and collisional frequency shifts in a 87Rb fountain with a frequency resolution of 3x10(-16). Agreement with theory is found for the cavity pulling and the measured collisional shifts. The clock shift is found at least 50 times smaller than in 133Cs.     

Hyperfine Level Dependence of the Pressure Broadening of CH(3)I Rotational Transitions in the v(6) = 1 Vibrational State

We studied the hyperfine components of the (J = 10-9, Kl = 9) rotational transition in the v(6) = 1 excited vibrational state of CH(3)I, using collinear infrared and mm-wave radiations. The Doppler-free double-resonance technique allowed an accurate determination of the collisional broadening parameters for all the hyperfine components. An evident dependence on the F quantum number was observed and this result is perfectly consistent with a theoretical model allowing calculations of collisional broadening and coupling for the hyperfine components. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Demonstration of a Ni-like Kr optical-field-ionization collisional soft x-ray laser at 32.8 nm

We report the first experimental demonstration of a Ni-like optical-field ionization collisional soft x-ray laser. The amplifying medium is generated by focusing a circularly polarized 760 mJ, 30 fs, 10-Hz Ti:sapphire laser beam in a few mm cell filled with krypton. We have measured a gain coefficient of 78 cm(-1) on the 3d(9)4d 1S0-3d(9)4p(1)P1 transition at 32.8 nm, which is here amplified for the first time. This radiation source represents the shortest wavelength optical-field ionization collisional soft x-ray laser ever produced. The influence of the gas pressure and the pumping energy on the lasing output are also presented.     

Ab initio and anion photoelectron studies of Rhn (n = 1 − 9) clusters

We present an analysis of Na-He collisional profiles at high density and very low temperature in a unified line shape semi-classical theory which contains the impact as well the quasistatic limits. Clearly understanding the variation of shape of the two fine-structure components of the 3s?3p line with increasing helium density allows us to understand experimental spectra of a Na atom attached to He nanodroplets. We compare our collisional approach to path integral Monte Carlo calculations using the same ab initio Na-He molecular potentials.     

Dynamics of Filament Formation in Laser Produced Collisional Magnetoplasma

The paper presents an investigation of growth dynamics of spike in a collisional magneto plasma in the presence of externally applied magnetic field. We have set up and solved the non‐linear differential equations for growth and width of the laser spikes. We have considered the mechanism of nonuniform heating of carriers along the wavefront which is important in collisional plasmas. The effect of intensity of main beam and magnetic field on growth dynamics of spikes is studied (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Phase behavior of methane haze

Methane aerosols play a fundamental role in the atmospheres of Neptune, Uranus, and Saturn's moon Titan as borne out by the recent Cassini-Huygens mission. Here we present the first study of the phase behavior of free methane aerosol particles combining collisional cooling with rapid-scan infrared spectroscopy in situ. We find fast (within minutes) phase transitions to crystalline states directly after particle formation and characteristic surface effects for nanometer-sized particles. From our results, we conclude that in atmospheric clouds solid methane particles are crystalline.     

模拟卢瑟福实验室的实验以检验理论模拟

在亚稳态电子碰撞激发系列程序的基础上研制成功了瞬态电子碰撞激发的系列程序，并用此系列程序模拟了卢瑟福实验室2000年的类氖锗瞬态电子碰撞激发19.6nm X射线激光实验，与实验数据的比较表明，模拟结果与实验基本符合，为以后研究瞬态电子碰撞激发机理打下了基础. 关键词： X射线激光 瞬态电子碰撞激发 类氖锗 亚稳态     

Using three-body recombination to extract electron temperatures of ultracold plasmas

Three-body recombination, an important collisional process in plasmas, increases dramatically at low electron temperatures, with an accepted scaling of Te(-9/2). We measure three-body recombination in an ultracold neutral xenon plasma by detecting recombination-created Rydberg atoms using a microwave-ionization technique. With the accepted theory (expected to be applicable for weakly coupled plasmas) and our measured rates, we extract the plasma temperatures, which are in reasonable agreement with previous measurements early in the plasma lifetime. The resulting electron temperatures indicate that the plasma continues to cool to temperatures below 1 K.     

Deterministic single-file dynamics in collisional representation

We re-examine numerically the diffusion of a deterministic, or ballistic single file with preassigned velocity distribution (Jepsen's gas) from a collisional viewpoint. For a two-modal velocity distribution, where half the particles have velocity +/-c, the collisional statistics is analytically proven to reproduce the continuous time representation. For a three-modal velocity distribution with equal fractions, where less than 12 of the particles have velocity +/-c, with the remaining particles at rest, the collisional process is shown to be inhomogeneous; its stationary properties are discussed here by combining exact and phenomenological arguments. Collisional memory effects are then related to the negative power-law tails in the velocity autocorrelation functions, predicted earlier in the continuous time formalism. Numerical and analytical results for Gaussian and four-modal Jepsen's gases are also reported for the sake of a comparison.     

Longitudinal coherence measurements of a transient collisional x-ray laser

We present what is to our knowledge the first longitudinal coherence measurement of a transient inversion collisional x-ray laser. We investigated the picosecond output of a Ni-like Pd x-ray laser at 14.68 nm generated by the COMET laser facility at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Interference fringes were generated with a Michelson interferometer setup in which a thin multilayer membrane was used as a beam splitter. We determined the longitudinal coherence for the 4d1S0 --> 4p1P1 lasing transition to be approximately 400 microm (1/e half-width) by changing the length of one interferometer arm and measuring the resultant variation in fringe visibility. The inferred gain-narrowed linewidth of approximately 0.29 pm is a factor of 4 less than previously measured in quasi-steady-state x-ray laser schemes.     

基于TDLAS技术的水汽低温吸收光谱参数测量

精确的气体光谱参数对气体浓度、温度等的光谱精确反演测量具有十分重要的意义,针对当前主流光谱数据库(例如HITRAN)中数据与实际数值存在相当误差的问题,自主研制了一套基于静态冷却技术的低温光谱实验平台,用于精确测量低温下的气体吸收光谱参数.运用该低温光谱实验平台,采用可调谐二极管激光吸收光谱(TDLAS)技术测量了温度为230—340 K、压强为10—1000 Pa时7240—7246 cm~(-1)波段的纯水汽振转跃迁光谱.采用Voigt线型多峰拟合方法,获得了5条水汽振转跃迁谱在不同温度、不同压强下的积分吸光度值及洛伦兹展宽值,运用线性拟合的方法得到这5条吸收线的自展宽半峰全宽系数及参考温度下的线强值.运用不确定度传递公式,计算得到实验结果的不确定度,与HITRAN2012数据库中的线参数进行对比,所测的5条吸收线中实验结果与数据库值最大相差10.96%,且实验结果的不确定度为1.11%—2.98%(置信概率p=95%,包含因子k=2),小于HITRAN2012数据库值的不确定度.